The Jordan Review
Leslie Jordan has charmed audiences both stateside and abroad with his winning performances on Will & Grace, American Horror Story, in the cult film hit Sordid Lives and through his penchant for revealing all in his acclaimed one-man shows. He is bringing that brand of poignant, funny and revealing storytelling to Club Ripples Long Beach for a one-night-only performance of Show Pony on Friday, August 8. He will also be making a guest appearance the next night in San Diego on Saturday, August 9, as part of the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation Reunion Party, to benefit Senior Services Program at the San Diego LGBT Community Center.
THE EMMY-WINNING ACTOR AND SELF-DESCRIBED SHOW PONY SHARES THE SECRETS TO HIS SUCCESS: by ken knox
You’ve been working steadily for several years now. How do you account for such career longevity? I’ve had the same manager, Billy Miller, for 30 years
and you know, we’ve not only kept the ship afloat, we’re still relevant. The minute I think, “Well, I’m an old has-been; nobody wants me,” something like American Horror Story will fall into my lap. I work hard, you know. I got off the bus in 1982 and I started doing commercials and then I got Murphy Brown and every- thing started pouring in. But, you can’t have a plan in my business; I don’t think even Tom Cruise has a plan. I’m the biggest whore in Hollywood and I don’t turn anything down, a hundred bucks a day and a square meal and you’ve got me. They say James Brown was the hardest working man in show business—I think I’m way above James Brown.
Do you ever think you might want to slow down? Here’s what happens. I’ll scream and carry on and tell [Billy], “You’re working me like a field hand... I can’t
keep this up!” Then, I’ll have a couple weeks off and go absolutely nuts. I call myself a gregarious recluse because I’m very outgoing—I love people—but when you do 44 venues a year and you don’t get any downtime, I don’t want to do anything. My friends get upset with me and they go, “Let’s just catch up.” But you have [all those venues] and then all the radio and TV interviews to promote them, so you do the math. So, I just disappear when I’m in town. It’s crazy, because whoever would have thought that I would get sick of talking about my favorite person... Me? (Laughs)
You’re appearing in Long Beach. What can audiences expect to see in your show? I’ll be doing what I always do, I just kind of get up
there and talk about what I’m going through at the time. My Show Pony brand is sort of an umbrella for the various shows I do. Right now, I’m debuting Say Cheese! A Love Affair with the Camera. I started
thinking, “Why am I a 59-year-old gay man who’s never, ever had a relationship?” I’ve had these sort of drunken sprees with one boy here and there or whatever, but nothing long-term. So, I found pictures of all my boys and I’m telling the tales: This one shot me with a cross bow… This one got drunk and tried to murder me… (Laughs).
Did you manage to come up with any answers to your question? I’ve come to the only conclusion; that I’ve only had
one real affair and that’s my affair with the camera. It’s never let me down and I’m closer to my authentic self now than I’ve ever been. Maybe I’m just a natu- rally self-centered human being, though I don’t know how people in my line of work have anything left to put into a relationship. I’ve tried it a couple times and they would look at me and go, “Leslie, I love you, but sweetheart, it’s not all about you…” (Laughs).
I would expect you would find catharsis through this type of show. Absolutely. When the scary monsters under the
bed would start their low moan, I would write. I have diaries going back to when I was 17. It’s the idea that you’re only as sick as your secrets. Somehow I figured out that I had an ability to stand in front of a crowd of people and regurgitate my life in an interesting way that is also lucrative and I walk out of the theatre a free man every night. Who knew all this facebook stuff was coming? People will put that down and say, “Well, nothing’s sacred anymore, everything’s an open book.” Whatever, as long as people keep show- ing up, I’ll keep telling my stories and I’ll be happier because of it.
For more information on the Long Beach performance of Show Pony at Club Ripples call 562.433.0357 or go to clubripples. com. For more information on his San Diego guest appearance at The Reunion Party 2014, call 619.291.3383 or go to
mylgbtfoundation.org.
JULY 2014 | RAGE monthly 33
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